RUSSELL CROWE - CROWE SLAMS FIENNE'S SHAKESPEARE PERFORMANCE

Antipodean star RUSSELL CROWE has slammed JOSEPH FIENNES for his portrayal of legendary playwright WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE in OSCAR-winning film SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.

The GLADIATOR actor liked the script of the 1999 MIRAMAX movie, which gave its stars DAME JUDI DENCH and GWYNETH PALTROW ACADEMY AWARDS, but was left unimpressed by Fiennes' casting.

Crowe tells the American edition of GQ magazine, "It was a 100 per cent f**king home run except the central character of William Shakespeare was not a writer - he was not smelly enough.

"He was not unshaven enough, and obviously he hadn't had enough to drink.

"He was some prissy pretty boy."